The proposed research is designed to study the role of work in the aging process of women. The examination of working and non-working women at three points in the lifecycle; midlife, retirement age and old age is made possible through three large national cross-sectional samples available for secondary analysis. The analysis of these datasets (National Survey of Black Americans; Americans View Their Mental Health 1976, 1957; Social Supports of the Elderly) is a cost-effective approach to delineating the impact of work on the social and psychological lives of aging women. In addition, special attention will be given to a comparative analysis of working and non-working women who have recently experienced a major lifecycle crisis. This analysis will contribute to our knowledge about how employment assists women in coping with such events. A third concern will focus on employment characteristics and how the characteristics of the job (e.g., occupational status, job satisfaction) contribute to our understanding of the role of work in the aging process. Finally, given the recent change in attitudes about working women, a small subsample of the Americans View Their Mental Health 1957 dataset will be analyzed to examine potential cohort effects. As increasing numbers of women enter and maintain steady employment in the labor force, this study will provide the essential information needed to formulate policies for present and future populations of aging women. The study will also provide additional information about the importance of multiple roles in maintaining social and psychological well-being as well as employment serving as a potential coping mechanism in times of crisis and stress.